The year was 2008. India won the U-19 World Cup title under the captaincy of Virat Kohli and Indian cricket found a new hero. This was the win that catapulted Kohli into superstardom and 18 years later, he is hailed as one of the greatest batters in modern cricket. However, the ‘Player of the Match’ in the final against South Africa was someone who is no longer a cricketer. Ajitesh Argal took two wickets for just seven runs and played a big role in the victory. However, despite getting picked by Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2008, he did not have a thriving career and after working in the Income Tax Department, Argal passed the BCCI umpiring examination and became an umpire in IPL 2026.
क्या आप जानते हैं कि Virat Kohli इस अंपायर को देखकर मुस्कुरा क्यों रहे हैं?
नाचीज़ की क़लम से
क्योंकि ये कोई आम अंपायर नहीं हैं।
दिल्ली कैपिटल्स के खिलाड़ी के पास काली जर्सी में खड़े ये शख्स हैं Ajitesh Argal और कहानी सिर्फ इतनी नहीं कि इन्होंने विराट के साथ ड्रेसिंग रूम… pic.twitter.com/8Tyi6wEP8I— Sanjay Kishore (@saintkishore) April 28, 2026
During the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals on Monday, Kohli and Argal once again shared the cricket field and their interaction has gone viral on social media.
This same Ajitesh Argal who is the umpire of this match was Kohli’s U-19 WC winning teammate. He looks totally different.
— The Prince that was promised (@thenucleardoc) April 27, 2026
Following RCB’s win, Kohli was seen having a conversation with Ajitesh on the field and that was a heartwarming sight for all cricket fans. It left social media users buzzing, who quickly started reminiscing about the 2008 World Cup.
Former New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan has lauded Virat Kohli’s remarkable consistency while also highlighting the impact of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s emphatic nine-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in their recently concluded IPL 2026 match.
RCB’s thumping victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday was set up by a fiery new-ball spell from Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood, who dismantled Delhi’s batting line-up to bowl them out for just 75, the lowest total of the season. The chase was then completed with ease, underlining RCB’s all-round dominance.
Reflecting on Kohli’s sustained excellence in the tournament, McClenaghan emphasised the discipline and adaptability that have defined the veteran batter’s journey over the years.
“Virat Kohli has been incredibly consistent. Scoring 9000 IPL runs against the world’s best bowlers is no easy task. It’s about hunger, discipline, and adapting every year, and that’s what brings the best out of him. He has been in the IPL since 2008, and the best part is that he didn’t start his career as an opener.
“He batted in the lower middle order, fought for his place, then moved to number three. Later, he opened with Chris Gayle. That changed his game completely. He will soon reach 10,000 runs, without a doubt. Kohli is the greatest batter the IPL has ever seen, not just for the runs, but for how he has evolved and dominated across different eras,” McClenaghan told JioStar.
(With IANS inputs)